RAILWAY WANTED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 68, 11 September 1911, Page 7

RAILWAY WANTED

i DEPUTATION ntOAI KAKTIIir. I I PREMIER NOX-COMAIttTAL. | By Telegraph—Press Association. j Wellington, bast Night. A request for a railway line, connecting Raetihi with the Alain Trunk line, was put before Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister, and (lie Hon. P,. AlcKenuzie, .Minister for Public Works, yesterday, by representatives of the local bodies interested. Air. T. Hogan explained that the deputation desired a biaueli line constructed from the .Main Trunk line to Kaetihi for the present, and eventually to Wut nganui. Sir Win. Hall-Jones'hud been over the country, -and (hey fully expected that the line would have been under construction long ago. It was almost expected from what had been said then that the material used in the loop line over the Karioi Plains would have been transferred to the other side of the Alain Trunk line and used for this branch. Air. Peter Brass, chairman of the Waimarino County Council, stated that it had become almost imperative that something should be done to cope with the traffic' The country was wet, and it was impossible to construct any road ■that would carry the timber that was being conveyed. In nine months, three miles of road near Horopito had been completely buried. They felt they would go back if nothing were done. If the (jovernmettt were not prepared to do it, the others were prepared to rate themselves and construct the line if they I could get permission.

Air. T. B. Williams, president of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, pointed out that the proposed line was not a branch line, but an arterial one. The line to Raetihi would pay the interest on the cost of construction. They felt sure the Government would do all it could.

Mr. T. Harris, president of the Progressive Association, Raetihi, said that at present they had to leave fully a third of their timber in -the hush owing to the excessive cost of cartage. With the railway, second-class timber would be cut, and this would conserve their resources. . There were :W0 acres of good milling bush eight or nine miles from Ohakune, and with the present meang of conveyance this would be left untouched. If this bush were burned, the State would lose £U7,3UO in railway freights at 3s per lUOft. This was double the cost of the | line. He also made a point of the fact I that £SO,()UU would be spent in wages in the cutting of the busli. Mr. T. l'unch, sawmiller, expressed the opinion that the line would touch •20,000 acres of milling timber. Air. Hogan stated that these settlers were not recent comers, but were amongst the oldest in the Dominion. They had been there since Air. Ballauce initiated his settlement policy. In reply, Sir Joseph Ward slated that both he and his colleague, the Hon. It. Aiclvenzie, were familiar with the circumstance and aware of the advantages which would arise from the construction of the line. Its importance from a timber industry point ol view was beyond all question. The only thing he could say at the moment was that when they were going, as they would be very soon, into the consideration of railways for the Dominion, the fullest consideration would be given to the representations. He could not make any definite promise at present, because t'iie whole countryside imd to be dealt, with in the allocation of money. All the facts would be taken into consideration, and this important matter would not be overlooked. Neither he nor his colleague could make a promise regarding any line.